Spring-axle construction



Nov. 10 1925- J'.. D. TUCKER SPRING AXLE CONSTRUCTION Filedv Oct. 29,1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,INVENTOR. Jesse B. Tweker wwwm A TTORNEY Nov. 10,1925. 1,561,037.

J. D. TUCKER SPRING AXLE CONSTRUCTION Filed. Oatv 29, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jesse D. Tucker "Q MM.

.20 ATTORNEY mama Mov e, 1925.

Qumran sr-Ares PATENT OFFICE"..-

' 'Jnssnn. 'rucxnn, or sacnunn ro, csnmonnu, Assn'inon To ruexnnrnornnnI uc nurnc'runmo company, or snonmnn'ro, came-01mm.

p seams-Axum oonsrnucrron.

Application filed October 28, 102 3. Serial No. 671,402.

1o panying drawin s, and to the characters of reference marke thereon,which form a part of this. application;

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle-axle construction, inwhich leaf springs are used not *only tofunction as springs, butarearranged to take the place of the usual rigid axles as well, thuscombinv ing in a single unit the springs and axles.

The present invention particularly represents an improvement over thattype of spring-axle shown in July copending application for patent filedFebruary 6th, 1923, Serial No. 617,262, my main .ob ect now beto arrangethe springs which form the fie in such a manner that breakage of any onesprin .--a not uncommon occurrencewill not a low the'wheel-spindlessupported by said springs to become misalined or to sag-something whichif permitted to hep-- pen would be fraught with great danger to theoccupants of the vehicle.

Another -object is. to provide means for preventing any steerable or?front wheels 85 which may be mounted with my spring axle,

from toeing in or out with the unavoidable deflection of the springswhen the vehicle is travelling over a more or less rougl nroad.

Such a movement on the part of the wheels, if allowed to takeplace,would not or necessary, but would cause undue wear on the tires.

nated with my improved arrangement.

I have also provided a simple means for preventing longitudinal slippageof the vertically spaced springs relative to each other, X such as wouldcause misalmement of the .turn are, turnabl eyeson the ends of verticallThese undesirable features I have elimi-.'

wheel spindles and in therefrom.

- hese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of possible accidents resultreferenceindicate corresponding parts inthe several views:

Fig.- 1 is a perspective outline of the front end of an automobile ofwell known make,

showing the preferred type of multiplespring axle'installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the spring axle. a

. Fig. 3 is an end view of a spindle-support- ,ing yoke, with thesprings and radius-rods properties of both characters of. reference onthe rawlngs, and

particularly at present to Figs. 1 to 3,.the

numeral 1 denotes the usualwheel-supporting spindles mounted in bodies2, which-in the cross-tie rod 5. The okes are formed on their adjacentfaces with a plurality of evenly spacedand vertically-alined ears 6, atonly make steering a harder job than usual least three in number, toreceive the belts or pins 7 whlch form supports for the usual spacedleafmountcd in specially springs .8, preferably quite at when supportmga normal load. These springs are parallel to each other and of equallengths, I

and extend between and connect-the yokes.

Spacer-blocks 9-.are placed between the springs at their centers oflength, and said blocks and springs are clamped to the crossframe member10 of the car by suitable U, bolts 11 or other clamping means. c

To brace the yokes, and prevent twisting thereof, and of the springs ina plane longi tudinally of the vehicle, I preferably connect radius rods3? thereto, which rods extend rearwardly to a suitable connection withthe chassis of the car, as is customary.

To render this bracing as effective and yet as simple as possible, eachyoke has'two of such rodsfconnected thereto at top and bottom by meansof the same bolts 7 which connect the springs to the yoke.

It will be evident that with this construction, as the springs aredeflected or depressed at the center, the wheels 12 of the car will ofcourse be moved somewhat "apart from each other, but this movement Ihave reduced to a minimum by designing the springs so as to be verynearly flat when under normal load, as specified.

There will naturally owever be some slight lateral deflection of thespindles and wheels as the springs flex- If the rod 5 extending betweenthe arms 4 was a straight member this would hold arms fixed irrespectiveof rigid nonflexin the ends of sai any lateral deflection of the spindlesup-' ports and wheels. This condition would therefore tend to move thespindle supports ontheir pivotal points and toe the wheelsin or out asthe springs flexed up and down which would be an objectionable feature.

- To overcome this objection I form the rod 5 of flexible material andgive it substantially the same curvature as the spring elements; (SeeFig. 5.) I then connect a rigid bracket 14 with one of the spacingblocks 9 and provide a yoke 13 on its outer end to slidably engage therod' 5. Then as the springs flex u and down this bracket will rod 5 andkeep the ends of the arms 4 spaced the same at all times with respect tothe spacing between the spindle suppo ts and wheels. This will preventany.

toeing ction of the latter.

In Fig. 4, the same arrangement of springs 8 is shown as in the typejust described but said springs are attached to members 15 whiehdirectly support the non-steerable wheel-spindles 16.

This type of 'arran ement is for trailers, or the rear wheels ofautomobiles, and to enable the height of the trailer'frame or body fromthe ground to be easily altered if desired, the'spindles 116 aredisposed. on the members l5 in a plane intermediate two of the springsand said members being reversible, the spindles will either be above orbelow thecenter of height of the members, as will be evident. a j I a InFigs. 5 and 6, a modified form of mul- 'tiple spring arrangement isprovided. In

this form of spring-axle, two sets of verti-.

cally spaced springs 17 connected to the yokes 18, are used; each setcomprising at least a pair of springs horizontally alined and spacedsufiicient to permit of lugs 19 from the yokes projecting therebetweenat i the ends.

latest type may therefore be'operated with.

safety, ifduecaution is used, even though any one of the springs shouldbe broken by some" unfortunate occurrence.

In all types, the adjacent faces of the leaves and the spacer blocks areknurled or otherwise indented as shown at 20, so that when the springsand blocks are clamped to the car, they will be firmly locked togetherwithout throwing all the strain on the holding bolts or clamps, andwithout the possibility of the springs slipping sideways of the car andrelative to each other, such as would cause the yokes and spindles to bemoved to set at an angle out of their proper plane.

From the foregoing descriptionit will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention'as set forth 'her in.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended dle supports connected withthe free on s of the spring elements, steering connections between thesupports, and means whereby, when the flexing of the sprin elements movethe spindle supports apart, the steerj ing connections will not movesuch splndle supports on their pivotal points. 1

. 2. A spring axle structure comprising ver-.

tically spaced spring elements, plvoted s indle-supports connected withthe free en of the spring elements, steering connections between thesupports, and means whereby, when? the flexing of the spring elements-move the spindle supports apart, the steering connections will not movesuch spindle supports on their pivotal points, such means includinginstrumentalities co-operating between the spring elementsandsteeringcom nections to cause the latter-to conform to the flexingaction of such spring elements.

3. A spring axle structure comprislng vertically spaced spring elements,pivoted spindle supports connected with the free ends of the springelements, steering connections between the supports, and including armson the spindle support and a flexible rod connecting the arms, a bracketrigid with the spring elements, and a yoke on the bracket engaging theflexible rod in sliding relation whereby when the springs flex and niovethe spindle supports apart, the yoke will flex 10 the rod a like amountand thus prevent the rod from pulling on the arms and moving the spindlesupports on their pivotal points. In testimony whereof I affixmy-signature.

JESSE D. TUCKER.

